Turner saves 1st place for Bayhawks in 14-13 win over Boston

Goalie Kip Turner of the Chesapeake Bayhawks clears the ball toward the end of the game.

Goalie Kip Turner of the Chesapeake Bayhawks clears the ball toward the end of the game. (Larry French, Getty Images)

Jeff Seidel, Special to The Baltimore Sun

Chesapeake goalie Kip Turner made a late save to help the Bayhawks edge the Hamilton Nationals by one goal last weekend. He came through in the final minutes once again Saturday night.

Turner made six of his 17 saves in the final five minutes to help Chesapeake hold on for a 14-13 victory over the Boston Cannons, his former team, in a Major League Lacrosse game before 10,126 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

The victory was Chesapeake's fifth straight and let the Bayhawks improve to 7-1 and hold on to first place. Boston (5-3) would have tied Chesapeake with a win. The Cannons were tied for second with Denver (5-3), but the Outlaws lost to Long Island (5-2), who took over second place behind the Bayhawks.

Chesapeake never trailed in the game,but Boston repeatedly fought back and cut the lead to one six times. Chris Boland scored for the Cannons with 6:05 left to make it 14-13, and that's when Turner stepped up to hold off Boston.

"It's tough to win these one-goal games," Turner said. "I knew the last five minutes I needed to help my team out. I don't think I played an amazing game, I think I can play better. But the last five minutes, I played well."

Turner made saves on back-to-back shots with just over four minutes left. He then got three stops in the final 90 seconds — his best coming on a shot from Boston's Kevin Buchanan with 37 seconds left.

Buchanan got the ball after a failed Chesapeake clear near the top of the arc. He appeared to have an empty goal as Turner was several yards to the side. But the goalie raced back to the cage and somehow made the save.

"We've found a way to win two one-goal games, and hopefully we'll start playing a little better when this next part of the season comes along," Chesapeake coach Dave Cottle said. "We've got to play a little better the last four minutes of games right now."

The Bayhawks got plenty of offense thanks to Michael Kimmel (five points), John Grant Jr. (four) and Kyle Dixon (four). Former Johns Hopkins midfielder Paul Rabil led Boston with seven points and helped the Cannons stay close with a pair of two-point shots in the first half.

Chesapeake appeared to be in control several times. The Bayhawks took an 8-5 halftime lead and then scored two late third-period goals for a 12-9 lead.

After that, Chesapeake stretched the lead to 14-10 on goals from Ben Rubeor and Kimmel less than two minutes apart early in the fourth quarter. But Boston scored the next three points before Turner slammed the door.

"They're a solid team," said Boston's Brian Farrell. "I thought we made a good push at the end, [but] Kip played out of his mind."